Stadium Renovations Continue as North End to be Demolished Beginning Friday, Dec. 8

December 5, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas—The 80-year-old north end, built in 1924 and the oldest portion of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, will be demolished and rebuilt beginning Friday, Dec. 8.

Removal of the north end should be completed within two months, allowing construction crews to begin building a larger and more modern multipurpose structure. The new north end will increase stadium capacity to more than 90,000 and include a street-level, year-round food court and retail center, a veterans’ memorial plaza, an academic center and more.

Artist’s rendering shows the exterior of the new north end at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

The stadium, then known as Texas Memorial Stadium, was dedicated in 1924 to Texas veterans who served in World War I. The north end was added two years later.

Fans will be able to follow progress of the stadium construction through a live Web cam and periodic updates at TexasSports.com.

UT Athletics has been working to communicate news regarding the demolition throughout the university community.

When completed in August 2008, the new north end will include much more than facilities that will be used by football patrons during home games. The multipurpose facility will also include:

• A veterans’ memorial plaza at the northwest corner, to include original stadium commemorative plaques honoring veterans of all foreign U.S. military conflicts;
• A street-level indoor food court and retail center, open year-round;
• An open access area featuring comfortable furnishings and a wireless Internet environment to serve students, faculty, staff and visitors year-round;
• Easy access to the campus’ main drop-off point for the Capitol Metro shuttle bus stop at 23rd Street and San Jacinto Boulevard;
• Four areas capable of being converted in the future to full gymnasiums;
• A centralized and consolidated 18,000-square-foot academic center for student-athletes and UT Athletics’ student affairs/student services staff members. Study areas are now dispersed throughout Bellmont Hall;
• An area to house the Todd-McLean Physical Culture Collection, believed to be the largest archival collection on historical fitness and training equipment and research materials related to physical culture and sport. This area was funded by a grant to Drs. Jan and Terry Todd of the university’s Department of Kinesiology, who are responsible for the collection.;
• An area capable of housing a future UT Athletics sports memorabilia center; and,
• An underground multimedia/television production and connection center.

The new north end will increase stadium capacity to more than 90,000.

The north end lower level should be completed for the 2007 football season, with the suites, club seating, chair-backs and upper level being added for the 2008 season.

Improved concession areas, restrooms and concourses will serve fans on game day—made possible from revenues from 47 new suites, 2,000 new club seats and 2,000 new chair-back seats.

All north end seating will be about 30 yards closer to the field of play.

Several phases of the $176 million project have been underway, and some have been completed, including the rerouting of all area utilities; the renovated Carpenter-Winkel Centennial Room (9th floor of Bellmont Hall); a refurbished press box and media center (8th floor of Bellmont Hall); the upgrading of all stadium audio and video systems; the addition of a Daktronics Prostar video screen (at the time of installation the world’s largest high definition scoreboard); and the relocation of 16 majestic old oak trees to other locations near the stadium.

To take advantage of the new north end seating opportunities, contact the Longhorn Foundation at 512-471-4439 or LonghornFoundation@athletics.utexas.edu.

For more information contact: Nick Voinis, 512-921-8661; Don Hale, 512-471-3151.